Operating mechanism for electrical switches



Feb. 22, A. M TROGNER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICAL SWITCHES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 A TWO/ENE'U,

Feb. 22, 1949. A. M. TROGNER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICAL SWITCHES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug. 2,, 1940 Patented Feb. 22, 1949 OPERATING MECHANISM SWITCHE IS OR ELECTRICAL Arthur M. Trogner, East Stroudshurg, Pa., as-

signor to Line Material Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Original application August 2, 1940, Serial No.

350,036, now Patent No. 2,410,253, dated October 29, 1946.

Divided and this application March 29, 1946, Serial No. 657,983

3 Claims.

. This invention relates to improvements in operating mechanism for electrical switches.

This application is a division of my application filed August 2, 1940, Serial No. 350,036, now Patent No. 2,410,253, issued October 29, 1946, for Operating mechanism for electrical switches.

The primary object of this invention is to provide for an electrical switch, operating mechanism for alternately opening and closing the switch, such mechanism being controlled at a point remote from the switch.

More specifically it is an object to provide for a pair of spaced switch blades, mechanism for rocking the blades simultaneously in relatively opposed directions, such mechanism including undirectional rotary members connected with said blades by linkage which afiord a maximum transmission of motive force to the blades.

This invention is especially useful in the operation of gang switches but it will be understood that it may serve equally well in operating individual switches.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of. an embodiment of my invention mounted on a pole. It will be understood that this figure is diagrammatic rather than detailed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the switch shown in Fig. 1 and taken on the line IIl-I of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4, and are enlarged detail views partly in section of the switch operating lever mechanism. Figs. 3 and 4 are takenon the line I I-I I of Fig. l.

Throughout the several views like parts are identified by the same reference characters.

An embodiment of my invention, shown in Fig. 1, comprises a gang switch designated in its entirety by the letter G, switch operating mechanism enclosed in a housing and designated generally by the letter H, and a rotatable shaft 1 connecting the switch operating mechanism and the switch. As indicated, the switch G is mounted on the upper end of the pole I and the switch operating mechanism H is mounted on the pole I below the switch, the shaft "I extending vertically of the pole.

Gang switch mechanism The illustrated switch '6? is of the so-called gang type wherein three electric lines of a three- 'phase circuit are simultaneously interrupted it may, if desired, be utilized in connection with a, single electric line as well as a plurality of lines.

The illustrated switch comprises a pair of vertical insulating bars 2 and 3 which are substantially parallel and rotatably supported at opposite ends by means of the L-shaped brackets 4 and 5 secured to the pole in a suitable manner as by bolts 6 extending through the pole I. Suitable bracing members I are provided on each bracket 4 and 5 adapted to hold the brackets substantially rigidly in position and secured to the bracket by means of bolts 8.

The insulating bar 2 supports three cylindrical insulators 9, I0, and II in vertically spaced relation. Similarly, the insulating bar 3 is provided with three insulators, only one of which is shown at I2 in Fig. 10. Each insulator 9, I0, II, and I2 is secured to its respective bar by means of brackets I3, bolts I4, and plates I5.

Each of the insulators I2 on the bar 3 (see Fig. 10) is provided at its outer end with a. bracket I9 including an angle portion I1 and terminal portion I8. Mounted on the angle portion I1 is a.

'pair of parallel switch blades I9, the upper ends of which are shown projecting above the insulators 9, I0, and II in Fig. 1.

Each of the insulators 9, I0, and II on the bar 2, is provided with a bracket at its outer end including a terminal'portion 2| and a blade mounting portion 22. Secured to the mounting portion 22 is a single switch blade 23 which extends between and contacts with the blades I9 on the insulators I2, as indicated in Fig. l.

The conductors 25 and 26 are respectively dead ended in insulator strings 21 and 28 which are mounted on the pole I by means of eye bolts 29.

The conductor 26 is electrically connected by means of a flexible wire 30 connected to the conductor at 3| and to the terminal portion I8 on the switch. The conductor 25 is connected (not shown) to the flexible wire 32 in a similar manner to that illustrated at 3I and to the terminal portion 2| on the switch.

It will be obvious that when the switch G is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the conductors 25 and 26 are electrically connected through the flexible wires 30 and 32 and the switch blades I9 and 23. The broken lines 35 indicate the closed position of the switch G and the broken lines 38 indicate the open position of the switch. As will be more fully described hereafter, the insulating bars 2 and 3 are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions, thus alternately opening and closing the switch.

It will be understood that Fig. 2 shows the dicated. The insulating bars 2 and 3 are indicated.

by means of broken lines.

As indicated, the link mechanism K is carried on the upper side of the bracket 5 and comprises a pair of lever arms 40 and 4| and pivotally connected respectively at 42 and 43 with a link 44. The lever arms 40 and 4| are respectively socketed in the bracket 5 at 45 and 46 for rotation on bearing means 41, such as ball bearing (not shown). The bearing means 41 is retained in po- ,sition by means of a shank 48 projecting through the bracket 5 and engaged by a collar 49 and pin 50. Each of the lever arms 40 and 4| is provided with a cross-like wedge portion 5| concentrically related to the sockets 45 and 46 and respectively engaged with the insulating bars 3 and 2 to produce rotation thereof with the lever arms 40 and 4|.

The lever arms 40 and 4| as illustrated are identical and each is provided with a camming groove 52. Midway between the sockets 45 and 46, a camming arm 53 is rotatably mounted by means of a stub shaft 54. The outer camming end of the arm 53 is provided with roller 55 mounted on pin 55 for alternate engagement with the camming grooves 52 on the lever arms 40 and 4|. The stub shaft 54 which constitutes a part of the shaft I projects into the tube 51, also a part of the shaft I, and is secured for rotation therewith by means of pin 58. Additional bearing surface for the stub shaft 54 is .provided by means of the sleeve 59 secured to the bracket 5 by means of bolts 50.

It will be apparent that whenever the camming roller 55 is positioned in either of the positions illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the switch will be held in open or closed positions, as the case may be, by reason of the engagement of the camming roller with the lever arms 4|]. and 4|, as shown. Figs. 3 and 5 indicate the closed position of the switch and Fig. 4 the open position.

The switch is operated by always rotating the shaft I in a counter-clockwise direction relative to Figs. 3 and 4. Assuming that the switch is in closed position, as indicated in Fig. 3, then to open the switch the shaft I is rotated to cause the camming roller 55 to move over the surface of the camming groove 52 on the lever arm 40. As this movement continues, the lever arm 45 is caused to move to the position shown in Fig. 4. Since the arm 40 is connected to the arm 4|, the arm 4| is caused, by the movement of the arm 40, to move to the .position shown in Fig;4.

If rotation of the shaft I continues through 360 degrees, the camming roller 55 will be carried past the position shown inFig. 4 and back to the position shown in Fig. 3. In such case. the roller 55 will move over the surface of the camming groove 52 on the lever 4! and thereby cause the arms 40 and 4| to move? from the positions shown in Fig. 12 to the posit ns shown in Fig. 3.

As previously stated, the ulating bars 2 and 3 are respectively rotatablewith the arms 4| and 40 and consequently assume the positions shown in Fig. 3 when the switch is closed and the positions shown in Fig. 4 when the switch is open. It will be apparent that to operate the switch it is necessary to always rotate the shaft I in a counter-clockwise direction. I have illustrated mechanism in my Patent No. 2,410,253 for rotating the shaft I in one direction only, such mechanism be-. ing enclosed in the casing 15 and designated by the letter H in Fig. 1'. A cover is provided on each side of the casing to aflord access to the mechanism H, one such cover 1| having handles 12 being shown in Fig. 1.

The tube 51 of the shaft 1 is connected at its lower end to a. coupling device 11 immediately above the casing 10 and may be of any suitable arrangement adapted to allow for slight misalignment of the shaft I and the shaft extending into the casing and to which the coupling is attached. Detail of the coupling is not shown since such devices are well known in the art.

My Patent No. 2,410,253 also illustrates mechanism enclosed in the casing 10. by which manual rotation of the shaft I, in a counter-clockwise direction only relative to Fig. 4, may -be accomplished.

As will be noted from 51 must always rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, otherwise the cam 55 will not properly engage the lever arms 40 and 4 I have previously noted that my Patent No. 2,410,253, issued O'ctober 29, 1946, discloses mechanism for insuring that the shaft 51 will be rotated only in a counterclockwise direction. It will be obvious from the disclosure in that patent that the power driven mechanism may be eliminated in favor of manual operating mechanism or vice versa. For the purpose of the disclosure in the present case, it is immaterial as to what source of power is utilized, 1

since the novelty herein disclosed and claimed resides in the mechanism for translating the rotary motion of the shaft 51 into oscillatory motion of the switch blades.

I claim:

1. In a switch, a pair of switch blades mounted for opposed rotation, lever arms each connected to one ggsaid blades for oscillation in a plane parallel the plane of oscillation of the other, a link pivotally connected at one end with one of said arms and pivotally connected at the other end with the other of said arms and maintaining said ends in laterally spaced relation, a rotatable shaft disposed below said arms, and cam means rotatable with said shaft and alternately engageable with said arms adiacent the ivotal connections of said link to produce simultaneous oscillation thereof.

2. In a switch, a pair of switch blades, each mounted for simultaneous opposed rotation relative to the other about an axis spaced from and parallel to the axis of the other, means interconnecting said blades for roducing said simultaneous rotation, said means comprising an operating arm connected with each blade on its axis of rotation and a link pivotally interconnecting the free ends of said arms and maintaining the ends of said arms in spaced lateral relation to each other, a switch operating shaft disposed intermediate the axes of said blades and rotatable about an axis parallel to said axes, and cam means on said shaft disposed between the free ends of said arms and alternately engageable therewith.

3. In a switch, the combination with a pair of Figs. 3 and 4, the shaft I a point substantially equi-distant from both bars. the end of each arm at said point being laterally disposed relative to the other, a link pivotally connected with the said end of each arm and maintaining said ends in said lateral relation, each arm having a camming surface on a side in juxtaposition relative to a corresponding side or the other arm, a shaft rotatable about an axis disposed substantially parallel to the axes of said bars and located substantially midway therebetween, a camming arm secured to and extended in a plane parallel to the plane of oscillation of said operating arms, and a camming roller on said camming arm engageable alternately with said camming surfaces.

ARTHUR. M. TROGNER.

REFERENCES man The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

.UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 461,298 Van Nort Oct. 13, 1891 1,337,628 Townsend Apr. 20, 1920 1,370,111 Jackson Mar. 1,1921 1,379,691 James May 31, 1921 1,935,111 Christensen et al. Nov. 14, 1933 

